Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activities & Lesson Plans – Free File
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These Chicka Chicka Boom Boom lesson plans and activities are a kindergarten favorite! This book about letters that race to the top of the coconut tree is one of my favorite books. This is a great way to start the year with letter recognition with these engaging and meaningful activities.
I have also included a few free files towards the end of this post. So check out these fun activities I have gathered for the story, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!
CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES
This book, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert, is a fun way to help you start your school year in kindergarten! This classic book invites young children to quickly learn the book’s pattern and chime in!
After reading the book a few times, introduce this fun Chicka Chicka Boom Boom video for your students to watch and sing along!
Favorite Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activities
Reading Strategies and Skills
It is not too early for students to start learning about reading comprehension and this adorable book is a great one to start the school year. As you might know, our Engaging Readers series has a week-long close-reading lesson plan to be used with this book.
Each day, students focus strategically on their reading. The teacher does the reading work (decoding). The students do the thinking work.
Here are a few pictures from a sweet kindergarten class that had fun reading (and singing) this story!
RETELLING THE STORY OF CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM
We’ve updated our Engaging Readers units to include a digital option in addition to the printable version.
Of course, if you prefer a printable version, we have included story sequencing cards in the printable set as well.
After students have retold the story as a whole class, they practice retelling the story with a partner. This is such a great way to strengthen oral language skills. At the beginning of the year, you may need to support students as they learn turn-taking, but the effort will pay off.
Then, they complete an independent retell of the story.
CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM CRAFT ACTIVITY
Students can also add their story-retelling pieces to construction paper to make this coconut tree craft!
These little learners are adding alphabet letters to their own coconut tree crowns. What you will need for this simple craft:
- foam letters
- brown construction paper for the tree trunk
- green construction paper for the leaves
- palm leaves template (included in the printable lesson plan sets)
- student retelling – story sequence images (included in the printable lesson plan sets)
Students are adding alphabet letters to their own coconut tree crowns. As they peel the backing off the alphabet stickers, students are also work on their fine motor skills.
You can add this fun Chicka Chicka Boom Boom retelling activity to your literacy centers. Simply place the story sequence cards and this great book in your literacy center. It is a perfect book to use at the beginning of kindergarten.
CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM PROBLEM & SOLUTION
Students also think about the problem and solution in the story. Next, students discuss the problem and various solutions with their partners. Next, we complete this anchor chart together as a whole group
Add this colorful chart to your bulletin board!
At the beginning of the year, students convey meaning with illustrations. We know that as their transcription skills catch up to their thinking, students will become confident writers as well.
CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM CONNECTIONS
Students work on making connections with the story and tell about a time they’ve gotten hurt.
MORE FUN CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM ACTIVITIES
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom lends itself well to extend the learning across different subjects. Here are a few ideas for you!
MATH ACTIVITIES
I found this image on the blog Fun a Day. How fun would it be to make this into a counting activity? Set them up, bowl them down, and count. For 1st grade, you might want to practice other math skills like addition or subtraction.
CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM STEM CHALLENGE
This STEM challenge is a fun activity for your young learners. You will need these simple materials:
- empty cardboard tubes
- craft sticks
- letter stickers
Students see how many letters they can stack on the craft sticks before they all fall down.
SCIENCE ACTIVITIES
Students can explore their five senses! This is such a simple book activity that fits nicely into your lesson plans.
Students explore the taste of coconut. You can use coconut or Mounds Bars (hello chocolate!)
Students will state their opinion about the taste of coconut, then survey their friends.
COCONUT SINK OR FLOAT ACTIVITY
This science activity is a crowd pleaser.
This is a perfect opportunity to talk about the scientific method!
Students start by forming a hypothesis. Next, they experiment and record their results. You can find this set of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom printables and more here:
Each activity has been designed to complement the Engaging Readers text of the week.
KINDERGARTEN CENTER ACTIVITIES
There are also math and literacy center activities included in the Science, Math, and more unit. Students can practice beginning letter sounds, vowel sounds, and numbers. In this activity, students will spin the spinner and then cover the image that starts with the same beginning sound.
This is a similar math center activity. There are two versions of the math game activity. One of the game boards is for numbers 1-6, and students will use a single die. The other version of this game is done with two dice. Students can count all the dots on the dice or add.
Students can use pom poms to cover the coconuts. This is a simple way to practice subitizing math skills.
CHICKA CHICK BOOM BOOM DIRECTED DRAWING ACTIVITY
We also included a directed drawing activity to use with the book. Directed drawings are a great way for students to build confidence and competence!
Here is where you can find these activities:
Free Math and Literacy Center Activities
This first math center is about basic counting and numeral formation. Students will first use play dough to make coconuts to match the number on the palm tree card. Next, they will add the coconuts to the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree! Finally, students will use a dry-erase marker to trace the numeral on the card. Your kindergarten students will have so much fun adding a little sensory play to their learning time.
You can laminate these cards or slide them into a sheet protector.
How about some alphabet fun? You will need magnetic letters or other lowercase letter tiles for this literacy center activity. Students will match the lowercase letters to the uppercase letters that are found on the coconut. Simple!
You will find a box at the bottom of this blog post. Add your email to the box and these two free Chicka Chicka Boom Boom activities will be sent to you!
Planning made simple
Each Engaging Readers Book Activities Unit has been carefully and thoughtfully planned for you. All you need is a copy of the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!
Check out everything that is included in this resource pack!
Adding a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Theme to your first week of school is one of my favorite ways to ease into our interactive read aloud time. Student practice letter identification throughout the week with this fun book. I hope you found a few ideas to add to your own playful learning activities.
FREE EDITABLE LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Would you like to take a peek at my week? You can download this editable lesson plan template by clicking:
Would you like to see more week-long lesson-planning activities and free templates?
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Deedee Wills
My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
Hi, I'm DeedeE.
My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
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12 Responses
Love these new ideas! I start the year with this book every year, and this will definitely breathe some life into my lessons!
Thank you!!!
What great ideas! I love the 5 senses chart with the coconut.
This is awesome, Deedee. I’m moving to PreK this next year. I’ve been Kinder for many years and decided to retire… the school hired me back for just 1/2 day (stipulations of retirement). This will be great for my 4 year olds! Thank you 🙂
Perfect!! Thank you very much
Deedee I am a little confused on the interactive writing portion in the first unit chicka chicka boom boom. Do I make up a sentence to go with that story and then they copy?
I have a question, I am a fifth-grade math teacher and I’m going to China to teach for 2 weeks first and second graders. I’ve always loved the book Chica Chica Boom Boom and looking at all the pictures I think the kids would love this. How do I purchase the Unit for Chica Chica? I saw the package for $18, but I wasn’t sure if it was included in it or more than just Chica? Thank you, Kym
Hi there!
We don’t have the unit sold individually. It has 6 other books included in the unit, so there are 6 weeks worth of instruction.
Deedee,
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with those of us just starting out. I’m hoping to land a Kinder or 1st grade job in our new town in Michigan. Your advise, lesson plans, strategies, and activities have given me greater confidence in preparing for my future classroom. Thank you again! April
Thank you so much!
How do I get this Lesson Plan?
The lesson plan is available in our Engaging Readers unit for Aug/Sept. Here is the link for you: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Comprehension-Engaging-Readers-August-September-1899369